This document discusses various types of soil pollution caused by human activities. It outlines four major impacts: loss of biodiversity due to deforestation for agriculture and development; soil erosion from lack of vegetation cover exacerbated by wind and water; increased acidity and alkalinity altering soil fertility from improper agricultural practices; and land pollution through waste deposition in landfills and dumps that contaminates soil and groundwater through leaching. The vital but thin topsoil layer that supports life is being degraded by human uses of land including agriculture, mining, deforestation, and waste disposal.

1. SOIL POLLUTION

2. Topic: Soil Pollution
Subject: EVS
Submitted To: Asst. Prof. Kavita
Submitted By: Komal Bhardwaj
(1322/19)
B.Pharm 1st year (2nd Sem)
SDPGIPS, Rohtak

3. • All the terrestrial organisms including humans interact
directly with the surface layer of land i.e., soil as it
provides us the basic necessities of life, food, shelter
and clothing.
• The vital source, soil, is only about 15 cm deep on the
land surface throughout.
• Apart from natural causes we, the human population
contribute to the degradation of our land surface
mainly by three ways: by using it (agricultural and
developmental activities); by taking things out of it
(mining and deforestation); by putting things into it
waste disposal).

4. The major fallout of our over indulgence
with our land areas are as follows:
1. Loss of Biodiversity :
• Natural flora and fauna are destroyed due to cutting
of vast areas of forests as land is required to fulfill the
agricultural and developmental needs, desires and
greed of ever growing population of humans.
• According to International Union for Conservation of
Nature (IUCN) it is estimated that by the year 2050 up
to 50,000 plant species will become extinct or
threatened.
• Presently about 4,500 animal species and 20,000 plant
species are considered by the scientists to be
threatened.

5. 2. Soil Erosion
• It is the process of loosening, detachment and
removal of soil components especially the topsoil
particles.
• Soil erosion is caused by wind blows and water
flows. But these forces can damage only if the
land surface becomes devoid of vegetation cover.
• Excessive loss of topsoil 187 reduces soil fertility
and results in deposition of eroded soil in the
riverbeds i.e., silting of water bodies.

6. 3. Acidity and Alkalinity
• Increase in the acidic or alkaline content of the
soil reduces its fertility and is not good for certain
types of crops.
• Minerals like calcium carbonate and alkaline
compounds tend to get deposited in the soil if the
climate is dry or rainfall is low. This increases the
alkalinity of soil.
• Unmindful use of land and wrong agricultural
practices are the main human generated reasons
for such state of soil.

7. 4. Land Pollution by Waste Deposition
• We can call our land area as an ultimate garbage can as
waste generated mainly by human activities is dumped in it
as well as buried in it.
• As in other Asian countries, in India most of the solid
waste is land filled.
• All types of waste is dumped in the landfills and when
water seeps through them it gets contaminated and in turn
pollutes the surrounding areas.
• This contamination of soil and ground water through
landfills is known as leaching.
• The uncovered, untreated and unsegregated solid wastes
are also left in open dumps.
• The rainwater run-off from such dumpsites contaminates
nearby land and water bodies.

9. Thank you